Closure device



June 4, 1929. c L 1,716,024

CLOSURE DEVICE Filed April 12 1926 v INVENTOR 1 AT ORNEY Patented June 4, 192?).

canto STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BELL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE EATON AXLE & SPRING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CLOSURE DEVICE.

Application filed April 12, 1926. Serial 'mi. 101,373.

My invention relates to devices for closing or capping containers, such as radiators,

ars, etc.

The main object of my invention is a simple and efficient closure device, easily and quickly attached to ordetached from acontainer, and effective in operation. Other objects will appear during the description of the device shown in the accompanying drawing.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as applied to the spout of a radiator as used on automobiles or similar apparatus. It is obvious, however, that the same invention may also be applied to other containers.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective top view of the closure device mentioned, partly broken away to show the relation of the parts clearly; Fig. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the sleeve; Fig. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the flange; Fig. 4: is a perspective top view of the spring; Fig. 5 is a perspective top view of a modified sleeve, partly broken away to clearly show the structure thereof; Fig. 6 is a perspective bot tom view of a modified flange; Fig. 7 is a perspective top view of the outer end of the spout of the radiator; Fig. 8 is a side view showing the circumferential development of the slots and the cam faces and the lock grooves of the tubular flange in the spout; and Fig. 9 is a side view of a spout and closure device, partly broken away to clearly show the relation of the elements; the modified sleeve of Fig. 5 and .the modified flange of Fig. 6 being shown in this view.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In many instances, as in the previously mentioned radiator spout for instance, it is quite desirable to have a closure device by means of which the spout can be opened and closed quickly and effectively to prevent leakage, evaporation, etc. The device shown in the accompanying drawing accomplishes that purpose in an efficient and effective manner.

It is observed that all of the parts of the closure device shown may be made of sheet by means of dies whereby the parts are made alike and require no fitting or other extra work while the parts are being assembled.

' The device shown in Figs. 1 and 9 compr1ses, principally, the spout A, the cap B, the driving flange G, the sleeve D, and the spring E.

The bottom of the spout A may be formed in any suitable manner to accommodate any particular radiator or other container. The top of the spout A is circular in form and has the inwardly extending radial flange 10 and the tubular flange 11 depending downward from the inside of the radial flange 10. The flange 11 is provided with the slots 12, three in the present instance, the ends 13 of which extend into the flange 10 as seen in Fig. 7 the purpose whereof will appear presently. The bottom edge of the flange 11 is formed with the lock grooves 1 1, each sub stantially midway between each pair of slots 12, and with the cam faces 15 and 16 on each side of the grooves 14. The high points 17 of these cam faces are disposed adjacent to the grooves 14 while the low points 18 are disposed at the sides of the slots 12; the sides of the grooves 14 are inclined; the purpose of these grooves and cam faces will appear presently.

The cap B comprises the top 19 and the tubular portion 20 which fits loosely over the outer end of the spout A.

The driving flange C, shown in Fig. 3, comprises the flat flange 21 and the tubular flange 22 which is provided with the driving slots 28, three in the present instance. This tubular flange 22 fits loosely into the tubular flange 11 and the slots 23 are spaced the same as the slots 12. The flange 21 is held against rotation in the beaded portion 24. of the cap B.

The sleeve D, shown in Fig. 2, comprises the tubular body 25, the annular flange 26 at one end thereof, and the lugs 27, three in the present instance and spaced the same as the slots 12 and 23. It is observed that the lugs 27, as seen in Figs. 1 and 9, extend radially from the body 25 into the slots 12 and 23 and that these lugs are shown in full lines in Fig. 2 as extending longitudinally of the body 25 with the radial position thereof indicated by dotted lines. The sleeve D is first formed as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and the lugs 27 are bent radially after the sleeve D has been inserted into the flange C. If the lugs were originally formed radially, the sleeve D could not be inserted into the flange G except when the modification hereinafter set forth is applied.

The spring E comprises a dished annular flange having the notches 28 in the inner edge 29 to render this inner edge resilient to act as a spring and is interposed between the top of the flange C and the bottom of the flange 26 of the sleeve D.

The packing 30, of rubber, cork, or other suitable material, is interposed between the top of the flange 10 of the spout A and the bottom of the flange 21 of the flange C to prevent leakage, evaporation, etc.

As to operation, the cap B and the flange C and the sleeve D and the spring E are all held together and form one unit; the packing 30 may also be fixed to this unit.

l/Vhen attaching the closure device to the spout, place the same over the end of the spout and rotate the device until the lugs 27 find the slots 13 whereupon the device moves downward with the lugs in the slot 12 until the packing 3O rests on the flange 10 of the spout A, at which point the lugs 27 have passed below the faces 18 of the flange 11. Upon rotation of the cap B, the flange G rotates therewith and the sleeve D is also rotated thereby since the lugs 27 are disposed in the slots 23. This rotative movement, in either direction, causes the lugs 27 to travel along the cam faces 15 or 16 and pull the sleeve D longitudinally downward against the action of the spring E until the lugs have passed the high points 17 whereupon they will drop into the somewhat lower lock grooves 14 where the tension of the spring E normally retains them and thereby holds the device on the spout.

Upon rotation of the device, in either direction, after the same had been locked, the lugs leave the grooves 14, aided by the inclined sides thereof, and the device can readily be raised up vertically and off of the spout when the lugs register with the slots 12 which can easily be felt by the operator.

When for any reason it is desired to have an additional wall in the closure device, or when a drain is desired, or for other purposes, the sleeve D may be formed with the inwardly curved top wall 31 which may be provided with the drain hole 32 as seen in Fig. 5.

lVhen it is desired to form the sleeve D with lugs 27 projecting radially before assembling the device, the slots 23 may have the end 33 thereof extended into the flat flange 21, as seen in Fig. 6, so that the lugs can pass therethrough when the device is asembled.

The device shown in Fig. 9 operates in the same manner as the one shown in Fig. 1. The assembly shown here includes the modified flange O shown in Fig. 6 and the modified sleeve D shown in Fig. 5 and also includes the ornamental figure F which may be made of any design or for any purpose and is secured to the cap B by means of the bolt 34-.

The closure device shown and described is quick and effective of action and economical of manufacture.

- I am aware that modifications, other than those shown and described and pointed out, may be made within the scope of the appended claims, and that my invention is applicable to closure devices other than that shown and described.

I am also aware that closure devices have been made, therefore, I do not claim such feature broadly, but

I do claim 1. A closure device, for a container, including, a cap, a driving flange held against longitudinal and against rotative movement in said cap, a sleeve movable longitudinally in said driving flange, means on said sleeve to prevent the same from rotative movement in said flange, means on said sleeve to engage a locking means on acontainer to which said closure device is to be attached, and resilient means between said flange and said sleeve to force said sleeve longitudinally and thereby retain said engaging means of the sleeve against said locking means.

2. In combination, a container provided with a-spout having an outer tubular shell, an inwardly extending radial flange on the end of said shell, and a tubular sleeve depending from the inside of said radial flange and provided with lock grooves and with cam faces adjacent said lock grooves, and a closure device for said container including a cap rotatable on said spout, a sleeve longitudinally movable in said cap and held against rotative movement therein, means on the second mentioned sleeve to engage said cam faces and said lock grooves to lock said closure device to said container, and resilient means between said cap and the second mentioned sleeve to retain the lock between said closure device and said container.

3. In combination, a container provided with a spout having lock elements therein, each of said lock elements having two oppositely inclined cam faces and a lock groove between the highest points of said cam faces, and a closure device for said spout and having means therein adapted to engage or disengage said cam faces and said lock grooves to lock and to unlock said closure device to and from said spout upon rotative movement of said closure device in either direction.

4. In combination, a container provided with a spout having an internal tubular flange provided with slots and with cam faces and with lock grooves, and a closure device for said spout including a sleeve longitudinally movable in said device and provided with lugs adapted to pass through said slots while said device is being placed on or removed from said spout and to engage said cam faces and said lock grooves upon rotation of said device to lock or to unlock the same to or from said spout, a driving flange held against rotation in said device and adapted to rotate said sleeve upon rotation of said device, and resilient means between said sleeve and said driving flange to hold said sleeve in looking position and to permit the attachment and the removal of said device to and from said spout upon rotation of said device.

5. In combination, a container provided with a spout having cam faces and lock grooves, and a closure device for said spout including means for engaging said cam faces and said lock grooves to lock and to unlock said device to and from said spout upon rotation of said device, and a resilient flange in said device to hold said engaging means in looking position and to permit the attachment and the removal of saiddevice'from said spout upon rotation of said device, said resilient flange comprising a dished annular flange having notches in the inner edge thereofto provide resiliency therein.

6. In combination, a container provided with a spout having an outer tubular shell, an inwardly extending radial flange on the end of said shell, and a tubular sleeve depending from the inside of said radial flange and provided with slots and with cam faces and with lock grooves, and a closure device for said spout including a cap having a tubular flange extending over the outside of the outer end of said outer tubular shell, a driving flange held against rotation in said cap and having a tubular flange provided with driving slots, a sleeve longitudinally movable in said tubular flange of the driving flange and provided with a radial flange on one end thereof, lugs on said sleeve and adapted to pass through said slots upon attachment or removal of said device to and from said spout and to engage and to disengage said cam faces and said lock grooves to lock and to unlock said device to and from said spout, an annular spring between said driving flange and said radial flange on the sleeve to force said sleeve longitudinally of said device, and packing means between the top of said spout and said driving flange.

7 In combination, a container provided with a spout having lock elements therein, each of said lock elements having two oppositely inclined cam faces terminating in a lock groove common to both of said faces at the highest points thereof, and a closure device for said spout having lugs, each adapted to engage said cam faces upon a rotative'movement of said device in either direction and to move said device onto said spout and to engage said grooves to lock said device to said spout.

8. In combination, a container provided with a spout having lock elements therein,

each of said lock elements having co-ordinate cam faces 'oined b a lock roove at the hi hest points thereof, and a closure device'for said spout having a resiliently longitudinally movable element therein and provided with radial lugs adapted to engage either one of said cam faces upon a rotative movement of said closure device in the corresponding direction to move said device onto said spout or to release the same from said spout and also adapted to engage said lock groove when said device is rotated into locking position in either direction.

9. As an article of manufacture, a tubular spout for a container formed of sheet metal with an inwardly extending radial flange and with a tubular flange depending from this radial flange and provided with oppositely inclined cam faces terminating into symmetrical lock grooves, and a closure device formed of sheet metal with a tubular flange extending over the outside of the outer end of said spout and the inside thereof provided with means for engaging and disengaging said cam faces and said lock grooves to lock and to unlock the device to and from said spout upon rotation thereof in either direction.

10. As an article of manufacture, a tubular spout for a container provided with cam faces and with lock grooves on the inside thereof, a closure device including a cap formed of sheet metal and having a depending annular flange extending over the outer end of said spout, a driving flange formed of sheet metal and held against rotation in said cap and formed with a depending tubular flange provided with driving slots, a sleeve formed of sheet metal and disposed within said tubular flange of the driving flange and formed with a radial flange on one end thereof and with radial lugs on the other end thereof, said lugs adapted to engage and disengage said cam faces and said lock grooves upon rotation of said cap to lock and to unlock said device to and from said spout, an annular spring between said driving flange and said radial flange on the sleeve to force said sleeve longitudinally of said device and formed of sheet metal and dished and the inner edge thereof a radial flange held in said shell by a beading operation, a movable element guided in said supporting element and having a radial flange, and a spring between both of said radial flanges.

13. A closure device including a shell, a supporting element in said shell and having a radial flange held in said shell by a heading operation, and a movable element guided in said supporting element and having a radial flange and a top Wall bent inwardly from the radial flange.

-1. A closure device including a-shell, a supporting element in said shell and having a radial flange held in said shell by a beading operation, a movable element guided in said supporting element and having a radial flange and a top wall bent inwardly from the radial flange, and a spring between both of said radial flanges.

15. A closure device including a shell having a tubular portion and an outwardly bent top wall, a supporting element in said shell and having a radial flange held in said shell at the juncture of said tubular portion and said top wall thereof by a beading operation, a movable element guided in said supporting element and having a radial flange and a top wall bent inwardly from the radial flange, and a spring between both of said radial flanges.

16. An apparatus of the character described including a spout and a closure device and a mechanism between the same comprising apair of co-ordinate cam faces and a lock groove common to both of said faces and a resiliently mounted element having a lug adapted to engage either one of said cam faces according to either directional rotative movement between said spout and said closure device to hold said closure device onto said spout or to release the same from said spout and also adapted to engage said groove to the same having means adapted to move and to hold said closure device onto said spout and to release the same therefrom upon a rotative movement between said closure device and said spout in either direction.

18. An apparatus of the character described including a relatively rotatable spout and closure device and a mechanism between the same having means adapted to move and to hold said closure device onto said spout and to release the same therefrom upon a rotative movement between said closure device and said spout in either direction and to normally arrest said either directional rotative movementto retain said closure device on said spout and to release said means to release said closure device from said spout upon an either directional rotative movement between said closure device and said spout.

In testimony of the foregoing I aflix my signature.

CHARLES H. BELL. 

